Title: The world like Marah
The Israelites came out of Egypt. However, about 3 days later, as Pharaoh realized that the Israelites were going out for good, he brought his chariots army and chased after the Israelites. God led the Israelites to the place called ‘before Migdol’ where there was no escaping road because it was closed by the Red Sea. By the miracle of God, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea with no harm, where all the Egyptian army drown.
This is the journey God opened for the Israelites and is the journey we just commenced by confessing our faith. Thus, we think the journey should be full of God’s blessing and no hindrances (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). However, the first situation the Israelites encountered after crossing the Red Sea was that they didn’t find water to drink for the next 3 days journey. Finally God led them to find a well. All ran into the well and drank it but it was too bitter to drink. The Israelites named this place ‘Marah’. According to dictionary, ‘Marah’ means bitter, painful, heartburn, heartrending.
- Why is there Marah in our faith journey?
- Sweet after bitter (苦尽甘来)
The Bible clearly says that in order that we may glorified with the Christ, we have to suffer with the Christ first (Romans 8:17). It also says that in order to enter the kingdom of God, we must go through many tribulations (Acts 14:22). Marah is not something that destroys our life but it is fertilisers. God didn’t give us Marah to destroy us but cause us to grow stronger. An eagle spread its wings and rides on the stormy wind and soars higher. God gave us Marah so that we can use it as stormy wind for us to spread our wings to have even higher faith.
- To make us His true son
God says that He reproved us because He loves us as Father loves His son. And such discipline seems not to be joyful (Marah) but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:11).
- To make us pray not grumble
Moses prayed to God. Of course bitter water was given to the Israelites as Marah. To Moses there was another bitterness given to him, threatening of his life, he was about to be killed be the Israelites. He chose to pray, not grumble. Moose didn’t fear Marah, he didn’t reason with God about Marah. He didn’t even give the blame to the people of Israel. When Marah come to us, we should pray and trust God. If God caused this, there must be providence from God. Moose knew there must be God’s plan. When Marah comes to you be patient and pray to God. The way out is to pray to God.
Look at Job’s case, we know that Job experienced great sufferings.
Job 1:21-22 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
What is the endurance of Job? It is not to blame God and not to grumble against God, when the great Marah comes to him. On the contrary, look at Job’s wife. She blamed God. It means, if God is alive and if God’s providence is here, how can you receive so much Marah. Seeing that we are in the great Marah, God is not real and alive.
Job 2:9-10 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Conclusion: Faith in Jesus overcomes the world like Marah
Exodus 15:25 Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw (it) into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.
God ordered Moses to throw a tree into the waters to make them sweet. This tree signifies the tree that Jesus was crucified.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely our griefs He himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
Jesus came to bore our griefs and carry our sorrows. Jesus came to change Marah into a blessing. Jesus came to change bitterness to sweetness. Exodus 15:26 says that God is our healer. Please believe in Jesus and have faith in God so that you and I overcome the world like Marah.
Faith is the victory.
Founding Pastor explained what is it like to have a true faith. This is one of the ways to understand what is having a true faith like.
I pray and bless in the name of the Lord, may you and me have the true faith to believe in Jesus who will turn our Marah into blessing, Amen!
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 